Ica is considered the land of the eternal sun, the one where it will be
difficult for you to wake up to see gray days since the king star never tires of
illuminating its lands. For this and many other reasons, this region of the
country, a few hours from Lima, is the favorite to take a vacation alone, as a
couple, with friends, or with family.
Due to its proximity to Lima, the capital of Peru, Ica is one
of the ideal
destinations to get away: this southern region is located (approximately) 4
hours from the city of Lima and has countless activities, as different as they
are fun, for travelers who venture to explore its territory.
Because in Ica, the dunes of its enormous deserts protect the cultural and
historical legacy of ancient civilizations, as well as the location of an oasis
that seems to be taken from a movie or a fairy tale. In Ica, beautiful beaches
with refreshing waters abound. That same sea that is used to practice your dips
with your family and friends, is also the habitat of beautiful species of
wildlife, which are eager for you to visit them.
It is not an exaggeration: in Ica there is a different activity for each type of
tourist. It is a place where time flies, because there is always something to
do.
Ica is famous for its countryside, wine centers; for the quality of its wines,
being in this area the most important wine producers. It is worth highlighting
the harvest festival of Ica, carried out with great consumption of wine and
cachina. In its fertile valleys, cotton, vines, tobacco and linen are grown.
Photo: Huacachina Oasis
The first inhabitants settled in the Ica region about 9,000 years ago. The
“man
from Paracas”, discovered in the Pampas of Santo Domingo, dates
back to the year 6,870 BC. constituting the second oldest horticulturist in
Peru. Two important pre-Inca cultures settled in the region, the Paracas
culture (600 BC to 100 AD) and the Nazca culture (100-800 AD). From
the former remain the beautiful cloaks of cotton and wool fibers, preserved in
their colors and texture by the climatic conditions and the soil of the area, as
well as the funerary bundles with squatting mummies that show the advance in the
technique not only of mummification but also advanced knowledge of medicine and
surgery through the so-called trepanation. These mummies were found mainly in
Cerro Colorado, where they carved the rock in the shape of an inverted cup to
store each bundle underground.
The city of Ica is the capital of the Region (or department) of Ica, which is
located in southern Peru, located on the river of the same name about 300 km
south of Lima. This city founded in 1563 by the Spanish conqueror Gerónimo Luis
de Cabrera (of Andalusian origin), under the name of Villa de Valverde. It is an
area with an extensive and important historical past, since the first settlers
date back more than 10,000 years.
The city was home to many cultures such as the Paracas, Wari, Ica or Nasca.
After its foundation, a good number of religious buildings of great importance
began to be built, and already in the 20th century the majestic Sanctuary of
Luren, one of the best known, was built.
Already approaching more current data, until the year 2005, in Ica there was an
estimated population of more than 219,856 inhabitants; however, the city
suffered extensive damage and the loss of a large number of lives during the
earthquake in Peru in 2007. This area is a major agricultural region, where
grapes, cotton, asparagus, olives and other products for consumption are grown.
local and for export. It is known by Peruvians as the land of the sun, and
although the 4 seasons of the year are present, the hot dry climate makes it
feel like summer throughout the year, something that tourists will surely
appreciate (and above all, take advantage of). . Throughout the Ica region and
its surroundings, visitors can visit the Pisco production factories, since this
region would become the traditional source of Peru.
The city is also very well connected since it has several access channels, the
best known being the Pan-American Highway. For example, if you want to make the
trip from the city of Lima to Ica (as we have said, there will be an approximate
distance of about 300 km), in just about 4 hours of travel by car you will
already be arriving at your destination.
Pisco was born in the Ica region at the end of the 16th century, when the locals
of the area began to produce a transparent drink obtained from the distillation
of grapes, the same that they shipped in the port of Pisco to distribute it to
all the riverside areas of the Viceroyalty. From Peru. Researcher Emilio Romero
points out that in 1580 the English pirate Francis Drake raided the port of
Pisco and asked for a ransom for the prisoners he took; the villagers to
complete the rescue paid him with 300 Pisco jars. The first identification of
the drink as Pisco would have been made in 1630 by the Spaniard Francisco López
de Caravantes, when he stated in a manuscript dated 1630 that “the valley of
Pisco continues to be the most abundant of excellent wines in all of Peru. From
there, one that competes with our Sherry, the so-called "Pisco brandy", because
it is extracted from the small grape, it is one of the most exquisite drinks
drunk in the world."
On this point, an important contribution is made by Enrique Witt, a German
merchant who arrived in Peru in 1824. In the diary he left about his travels
through our country, he noted that, when he was in the Quilca Valley (Arequipa),
Together with his companions they drank "wine, pisco and chicha, a fermented
drink made from corn."
To further corroborate this information, Witt, upon arriving in Chincha Baja,
notes that “Pisco is the port of Ica, and from here all the country's brandy or
liquor that is produced and distilled in that place is exported. That's where
the name pisco comes from, a word by which brandy is known throughout Peru." In
addition, he described the prices of pisco, as well as its preparation and
transportation. “The commercialization that the people of Ica carry out of the
brandy called pisco, is quite considerable; supply this distillate to all the
departments of northern Peru, while the brandy or liquor produced in the valleys
of Majes, Vitor, Moquegua and others, is consumed in the south and exported to
Bolivia”.
Photo: Pisco and its commercialization
For his part, the Swedish sailor Carl Johan Skogman, who visited Peru aboard the
“Eugenie” frigate, sent by his government to go around the world between 1851
and 1853, commented on his visit to the port of Pisco: “ There, a brandy is
manufactured on a large scale that is widely accepted throughout the western
coast and is simply called pisco.” The Swiss scientist, Jacob Von Tshudi, who
toured our country between 1838 and 1842, narrated in his book, product of his
research, his impressions of Pisco, indicating that this port "is just a kind of
key to the great city of Ica". and explains that what has given him importance
is the export of spirits that he carries out.
Peru has several companies dedicated to the production of pisco; some of them
with the latest technology, have modern equipment and have hired high-level
specialists in the different fields of production and marketing. This has
allowed not only to recover the level that was had but to overcome it. At an
educational level, it also highlights the creation of institutions such as the
first School of Oenological Engineering, and the Institute of Wine and Pisco,
which has the most modern tasting room in the country; as well as other
specialized schools.
Currently, our flagship drink reaches 33 markets in America, Asia and Europe.
The United States is the main one with 46.2% participation, followed by Spain
with 15%.
They are geoglyphs that are located in the Nazca desert. To date, the method used by the ancient populations to create these large-scale pictographs is not known. The Nazca lines can be viewed from viewpoints or by hiring the overflight service in the area. They draw attention among the geoglyphs of the hummingbird, the monkey with nine fingers, and a strange figure known as the owl man that some people usually identify with the silhouette of an astronaut.
Flight over the Nazca linesIt is a natural area of more than three thousand hectares. It is the only protected area in Peru that has a marine ecosystem. You can access the reserve and navigate its sea to learn about the diversity of species that inhabit it. By boat you can visit the Ballestas and San Gallán Islands that are part of this attraction.
It is an oasis in the middle of the desert. You can practice different activities in it, such as boating on the lagoon. You can also take tube rides and dare to slide on sandboards through the desert.
They are Inca archaeological remains. It receives the name "colorado" due to the predominance of red in its structures. Its degree of conservation is impressive and allows us to understand how the Incas of the Peruvian coasts lived. Tambo Colorado is located in Pisco.
The tourist attraction of Ica that was discovered in 2011. The canyon is 600 meters deep and has small lagoons in its deepest part. It is reached after 2 hours of travel from the capital of Ocucaje. It has been compared to the Colorado Canyon in the US In Ica there are many more places to visit. In the same city you can visit architectural and historical attractions such as the Plaza de Armas. It is also possible to plan a tour of the main vineyards in the region and taste its flagship liquor: pisco. If you want to know the mysteries of Ica, a visit to Cachiche is also a good option, the "witches" of Cachiche will tell you the legend of their town and will be encouraged to read your luck.
Photo: Cañon de los perdidos
The first thing is to visit the city center, here you can walk the rustic
streets and appreciate a bit of its history embodied in colonial architecture.
Upon reaching the Plaza de Armas you can visit the Municipal
Palace with its
beautiful portals, on the second floor you can see the Town Hall where you can
see ornamental figures made of wood that represent the seasons of the year.
The Cathedral is also in the Plaza de Armas, right at the intersection of
Bolívar and Libertad streets. It was built in the 18th century and has undergone
several repairs, for which its façade has been changing. You can also visit the
Regional Museum where you can see archaeological remains of the different
cultures that inhabited the area, as well as canvases and furniture from the
viceroyalty and republican times.
On the other hand, the Museum of Stones is also an interesting
place where
engraved stones are exhibited in which you can appreciate the life that the
ancient inhabitants of the region led. After taking a walk through the center of
the city of Ica, it is recommended to visit the Laguna de la Huacachina, a
beautiful oasis that is located 5 km south west of the city of Ica, which can be
reached by car in just 10 minutes. . In Huacachina if you like
adventure and
sports, sandboarding is recommended, you will enjoy a pleasant moment sliding
through the sand, you can also access the tubular cars that will take you for a
ride in the dunes at high speed.
Another majestic place to visit is the Paracas National Reserve
where sea lions,
Humboldt penguins, dolphins, flamingos and a large number of birds live. During
the walk through the reserve you can see the impressive Chandelier which will
leave you amazed above all by the enigma it contains, other works of nature such
as the Cathedral and the beautiful beaches will also be in sight.
Ica has more than 85 artisanal wine and pisco wineries where these high-quality
drinks are made. If you like to live a different experience, this route is
undoubtedly for you. You will be able to be in the same place where the drinks
are made, from touring the grape plantations to doing a small tasting of the
different drinks that are made on the spot.
Here is a list of some of the main wineries:
